Signs of Humility

Killing pride and growing in humility is key to growing in godliness. Pride keeps me in the kingdom of self (for my glory) whereas humility frees me to live in the Kingdom of God (for His glory). This also means pride keeps me from true joy because it turns me in on myself and makes me the center of things. It is only in humility that I find joy because I am living as I was designed to be: a humble creature of God, basking in His glory. 

I have been rereading Thomas Watson's book A Godly Man's Picture and came across his section on how a Christian can know he or she is humble. I thought I'd summarize the things he mentions to help us evaluate ourselves and to give us practical areas to battle pride and grow and humility.

A humble soul...

1. Is emptied of all swelling thoughts of himself (doesn't think too highly of himself)
2. Thinks better of others than himself (Phil 2:3)
• "A humble Christian studies his own infirmities and another's excellences and that makes him put a higher value upon others than himself" (79). [note: careful not to think this means disregarding God's graces at work in your life or that you are to compare yourself to others in envious ways]
3. Has a low esteem of his good works
• "Pride is apt to breed in our holy things as the worm breeds in the sweetest fruit..." A humble person sees his good works weigh too little and "therefore desires that Christ's merits be put into the scales" (79).
4. Is living in light of his own sinful condition. He is not always speaking of his own goodness and successes.
5. Will justify God in an afflicted condition- a humble person won't complain in times of adversity because he knows that God is always better to him than he deserves.
6. Is a Christ-magnifier 
• "He gives away to Christ the honour and praise of all he does" (80)
7. Is willing to take reproof for sin 
• "The humble-spirited Christian can bear the reproach of an enemy and the reproof of a friend" (81).
8. Is willing to have his name and gifts eclipsed so that God's glory may be increased. 
• "He is content to be outshone by others in gifts and esteem, so that the crown of Christ may shine brighter." (81).
9. Likes the condition God sees best for him. 
• "A proud man complains that he has no more; a humble man wonders that he has so much." (81). In otherwords, the humble person doesn't have an entitlement mentality. He recognizes that his singleness or lack of a nice house or lack of exciting food is nothing to complain about for God has given him so much.
10. Will stoop to the lowest person on the social ladder. He does not have a "holier than thou" approach, but associates with the lowly.